Light Within
by avalon6
Summary: The sequel to a little understanding and soul searching. Updated finally, real life has been vile
1. Default Chapter

Title: Light Within  
Author:Avalon  
Email: Avalonbnd@aol.com  
Rating: PG  
Archive:If you actually want it, just let let me know  
Series: yep, prequels are a little understanding,and soul searching  
Category: Romance,action and adventure  
Pairing: Rogue/Mortimer  
Feedback: Better than anything else in the world  
Summery: Morty and Marie confront their late night visiters  
Warnings: None really, if you've gotten this far there's no pairing freakout  
Disclaimer: I own nothing, literally. Everything belongs to Marvel and Fox. It's just for fun   
  
Many thanks to my wonderful Beta Tessa. She prevents my wanton abuse of commas and gives of her time generously. Thanks  
  
  
  
  
  
  
" Mortimer,time to get up. The X-men are here."   
  
As the words registered in his brain Mortimer's eyes shot open.   
"What?" He bolted up sleep forgotten.  
  
"I heard a noise, and when I went to see what it was I saw Storm going towards the front of the cabin," Marie answered wrapping her arms around herself.  
  
"It'll be okay," Rising from the bed he put his arms around Marie."I won't let them take you back."  
  
Smiling at Mortimer,"I know, I'll be fine. Somehow I always feel like I'm still just a scared kid around them." At Mort's pained expression she stopped, "Hey, it was a long time ago. Things were different."  
  
"I know,"he sighed,"Don't make it easier."  
  
"Come on, let's go deal with them",disentangling herself from Mortimer.  
  
"Did you just see Storm?"he asked,trailing behind her as they left the bedroom.   
  
"I heard two or maybe three others around the cabin. Probably making sure we don't sneak out the back."  
  
Turning on the light in the livingroom Mortimer looked at Marie,her hair all tangled still from sleep. "Not bloody likely. I'll be damned before I sneak out of my own home because they have issues."  
  
As Mortimer walked over to open the door Marie grabbed his arm.  
"No, I'll do it. If I don't do the talking they'll probably see it as a sign of you controlling me or something,",rolling her eyes as she spoke.  
  
"Right, evil mutant thing. But I'm not making any promises if they start shit.",he grinned  
Wishing she had a scarf with her,she blew him a kiss instead,and opened the door.  
  
The light from the cabin pierced the darkness illuminating Storm's face.  
"Rogue, thank the Goddess. We have been so worried about you since left us."  
  
"Well, as you can see, I'm fine,so you guys can go."  
  
"Please,I only wish to talk with you." Storm replied as she took a step towards Marie.  
  
Marie backed up involuntarily at Storm's movement. Her instincts were telling her something wasn't right but she wasn't sure what it was. Mortimer protectively put an arm around her.  
  
"It's a bit late for a social call,"he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "She said she's fine,now leave."  
  
At his words Storm smiled. Not the serene smile that Marie had come to know so well. This was the smile of a predator who had cornered it's prey. Suddenly she understood what her senses had been trying to tell her-this wasn't Storm.  
  
Grabbing the door Marie slammed it shut and quickly locked it, startling Mortimer.  
"That's not Storm,",she gasped. "It's Mystique!"  
  
"What? You sure?"  
  
"My inner Logan is positive!",she hissed,tapping her head   
  
"Fuck! I should've know. It was too easy,"he hissed,grabbing Marie by the shoulders,"You gotta leave,NOW!"  
"NO,I'm not leaving..."  
  
"Yes,",he interrupted as he pulled her across the room."They aren't the X-men and they don't play by any rules. If I distract them you might get away."  
  
  
Suddenly the door to the cabin was ripped from its hinges. Through the doorway the light shone on the approaching figure of Magneto, behind him blue scales replaced black leather as Mystique draped herself across him.  
  
"What a touching scene Toad, trying to protect your lady love.", he said,sneering, "How pathetically noble."   
  
"Let her go Eric. This doesn't involve her."  
  
"That's where you are wrong. It's going to have everything to do with her."   
Mortimer saw the syringes a moment before he fell into blackness.  
  
  
To be continued.... 


	2. chap 2

The throbbing in Mortimer's head slowly brought him back to consciousness. As he slowly opened his eyes waves of nausea washed over him. He got to his knees just in time to empty the contents of his stomach onto the stone floor until there was nothing left inside him. As he sat back against the wall, the room began spinning wildly. Whatever Magneto has used to knock him out had been very potent. He didn't have any idea how much time had passed or where Marie was. As he tried to crawl over to the bars of his cell he realized he was shackled to the wall behind him. Large cuffs at the ankles and wrist with large chains that attached to the wall. He knew he had about six feet of slack in the chains to move around. He should know, he had installed them. Mortimer would have laughed at the irony of being the person in them if he wasn't so worried about where Marie was. Hoping she was in a cell nearby he gathered his strength as best he could and tried to call out to Marie  
"Marie.",he rasped  
"Marie, can you hear me?",desperation tinging his voice.  
  
"She aint gonna be answering ya runt"  
  
Mortimer looked up to see the imposing figure of Sabretooth in front of his cell carrying Marie unconscious in his arms. Mortimer lept up pulling against the chains that held him.  
  
What have you done to her you bloody fucking basterd?"he screamed  
  
Opening the cell door and dumping Marie unceremoniously on the floor Creed laughed "Nothing...yet",and turned and left shutting the cell door behind him. Leaving Mortimer to ponder all the possibilities those words entailed.  
  
Sabretooth had dropped Marie in the far corner of the cell near the door. It was at least three feet out of Mortimer's range. He tried repeatedly to wake her up but she was still under the effects of the drug Magneto had used on them. As he sat on his haunches as far as possible from where he had been sick he could feel the himself becoming more and more panicked. He had to get Marie and himself out of this and he had no idea how. Mortimer stood up and started pulling on the manacles testing them against his considerable strengh. The manacles themselves were tight and didn't have a lock of any kind. Magneto had used his mutation to put them in place. Muttering a string of curses he then tried pulling the chains to see if he could loosen them where they were connected to the wall. Bracing his feet against the wall he pulled against the chains holding his arms with everything he had. Just as he was sure that he'd felt something give a little he heard footsteps coming towards the cell. He wiped some of the sweat from his face with his T-shirt and tried to slow his breathing. Dropping to a crouch he tried to look as if he was still feeling the worst of the side effects of the drug. Which wasn't too far from the truth. In moments Magneto and Sabretooth stood outside the cell. When the door swung open Creed entered first he looked over in Mortimer's direction but headed straight for Marie.   
"She's out cold"  
"I would like more assurances than your opinion Victor.",Magneto replied arching his brows.  
Shrugging his shoulders,"Fine.",Creed kicked Marie in the stomach. Jumping up from his position near the floor Mortimer screamed,"Leave her alone!",as he desperately tried to reach Marie.  
Moving closer to Mortimer,Creed laughed."What are you gonna do about it?"  
Straining against his restrainsts Mortimer looked at creed and smiled. Shooting out his tongue he wrapped it around Victor's neck and started crushing his wind pipe. As Sabretooth brought up his claws to slash at Mortimer's tongue Mort jerked him in front of him. He quickly retracted his tongue and spat slime across his nose and mouth. As Creed dropped to the floor clawing at the substance covering his face Mortimer jumped on his head and neck taking a perverse joy in the crunch of Creed's neck.   
At the sound of slow clapping Mortimer looked up to see Magneto regarding Sabretooth's prone form with amusement.  
"I see you still have some fight left in you Toad. Even Victor might have some trouble coming back from that. I trained you well."pride evident in his voice.   
"Mystique.",Magneto called over his shoulder."Please take Victor down to medical. Remove the substance and see if he starts healing."  
At his words Mystique entered the cell. Looking at Mortimer with an emotion he couldn't figure out she transformed into Sabretooth to lift Creed. As the bizaare image of Sabretooth carrying himself left the cell Magneto once again regarded Mortimer.  
"You know Toad if Victor recovers, and I haven't killed you yet. he will."  
"I don't care,either way I'm dead." he sighed  
"Yes, very practical of you Toad, but let's not forget the lovely Rogue. After all Victor could make her beg for death before he's done with her." as he casually toed her leg looking for signs of waking.  
  
"YOU LEAVE HER ALONE!",Frantically pulling at his chains grasping at Magneto. Instantly Mortimer was flung against the wall and his head connected with loud crack before he slid to the floor."She has nothing to do with this. She didn't know I was leaving the brotherhood.",Sobbing with pain and anger.  
  
"After all I've done for you toad. I took you in when no one else would have you. I taught you how to realize your potential,fed you clothed you. AND THIS IS HOW YOU REPAY ME!", Suddenly Mortimer was jerked upright and against the wall again," You would leave me for one of Xavier's righteous little X-men." he spat  
  
"All you've done for me.",a hysterical edge in his voice," All you did for me was take me from one horrible place and put me in another. You taught me how to kill people! You used me and treated me like a animal.", slowly lifting his head to meet Magneto's gaze,  
"You don't know anything Eric.",Derision in his tone,"She isn't an X-man anymore. She left, she didn't want to have divided loyalties and she chose me... ME!. She did more for me with that one act than you did in ten years.",Slumping back against the wall Mortimer saw the black look on Magneto's face.  
  
"That was quite moving Toad.",sarcastically."They say no good deed goes unpunished, in this case I can guarantee it.", Mortimer could feel his left arm being pulled visciously until his shoulder left it's socket and he heard the bones in his wrist and hand breaking while he screamed," For her great kindness to you she will die..", at these words Mortimer's right leg shot out and was being twisted," while you are helpless to prevent it.", Magneto then stepped a little further into the cell,"but don't worry you'll join her soon enough."   
  
"You fucking bastard,your completely mad.", Mortimer gasped out. It was all he could do to not pass out from the pain. Suddenly he dropped to the floor screaming in agony he looked up to see Marie griping Eric's face. Then she started screaming. 


End file.
